Glossary Terms

The variety of all life and living processes in the environment.

A measure of all greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and so on, that would give the same warming as the equivalent concentration of carbon dioxide alone. Carbon dioxide equivalent is also called CO₂-e.

The amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the air as a result of our daily activities.

An area of land on which rain falls, this land then helps to channel the rainwater into rivers, lakes and wetlands.

Also known as prescribed or hazard reduction burns, controlled burns are fires that are started on purpose to reduce fuel loads and help protect homes, farms and infrastructure. They are also used to improve the health of ecosystems and for cultural reasons by Aboriginal people.

For Aboriginal people, the term Country encompasses all living things and all aspects of the environment, as well as the knowledge, cultural practices and responsibilities connected with this. The term contains complex ideas about law, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, material sustenance, family and identity.

Dreamings represent the time when Ancestral Spirits moved through the land, creating life and important physical sites and formations. Dreamings are passed down and shared by many Aboriginal communities across Australia. Also referred to as Dreamtime or Dreaming.

A self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment.

The impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

A biological community of interacting living and non-living things.

The various benefits that humans get from healthy ecosystems. This includes things like food, clean air and water, natural crop pollination and flood control.

An area of land that has been set aside and protected to compensate for the ecological impacts caused by developments (such as new housing) in other areas with similar environmental values.

Developments that are built outside a city’s current boundaries on land that hasn’t been developed before – for example, building a new suburb on the outskirts of town.

A gas in the atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) that absorbs and emits energy, warming the Earth. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are the main cause of climate change.

The act of making false or misleading claims to deceive customers into believing a company’s products are more environmentally friendly than they actually are.

Dwellings like apartments in multi-storey buildings.

The places where people live, including cities such as Canberra, as well as towns and remote communities.

Developments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb.

A place where waste is buried in the ground in large amounts. In Canberra, we have the Mugga Lane landfill in Symonston.

A contaminated liquid that forms when rainwater seeps through landfill and picks up chemicals, metals and other toxins from the waste. If landfills aren’t managed properly, leachate can seep through the ground and pollute waterways.

Dwellings like standalone, single-family houses.

Dwellings with a shared wall like townhouses, or low-level flats with a few storeys.

Particles in air that are 10 micrometres or less in diameter.

Particles in air that are 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter.

A written document in which people share their views and ideas with the government – often regarding a new law, policy, or proposal. Governments invite public submissions from the community, businesses, NGOs and other organisations to hear from a broad range of people about important issues.

Energy produced from natural sources that are constantly replenished and never run out. Examples include solar, wind, and hydro power from dams.

The land and vegetation along the edges of creeks, rivers, lakes and wetlands.

Songlines can be visualised as corridors or pathways of knowledge that crisscross the land, sky and water. They provide navigational routes through Country, connecting significant stories and sites for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Songlines trace the journey of Ancestral Spirits and how things came to be.

The combustion of fuel for energy purposes in all uses other than transport.

The phenomenon of urban areas experiencing much higher temperatures than surrounding rural and natural areas. This is because urban areas have less greenspace and more hard surfaces that absorb and retain heat – like buildings, footpaths and roads.